2025 marks another big year for Hair Aid. The important philanthropic organisation is embarking on its 50th International Project, taking place in Cambodia with the incomparable hair legend Tabatha Coffey taking part. It will also be the final international project on the ground for CEO Selina Tomasich, where her future in this role will focus fully on grant writing, strategic leadership and securing funding for the organisation.
“The most exciting thing is the opportunity to do more and to help more people,” Selina shared. “We’re only just beginning to explore collaborations with like-minded networks. Once those are cemented, we’ll be training more, helping more, and changing the world—one haircut at a time.”
Through 15 years of the Hair Aid legacy, the organisation has taught hairdressing to underprivileged communities around the world, growing this initiative far beyond its initial purposes to varied charitable undertakings. The charity has conducted seven international projects per year, with over 20 hairdressers volunteering on each trip across the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Guatemala. These trips donate a tool kit to the students so that they can launch a micro-business, while also teaching them five basic haircuts in often harsh conditions. To date, Hair Aid has trained over 6,800 people who experience graduation ceremonies and change their family’s financial capabilities.
“I’m incredibly proud of the connections we’ve built with international governments. Today, we teach inside men’s and women’s jails in Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and in Cebu and Manila in the Philippines,” Selina shared. “We work with women who have been displaced, women rescued from drug or mafia gangs, and older orphans on the brink of being forced into prostitution. We also work deep within slum communities. What we do is change lives. We give people the opportunity to start their own businesses by providing free skills training and a free tool kit. We don’t just stop there — we make sure local communities and governments continue to mentor the trainees after our team has gone, so they have everything they need for a positive pathway out of poverty.”
The organisation also runs Hair Aid Community Cuts (HACC) in Australia, where volunteer hairdressers provide free haircuts in local communities across soup kitchens, DV shelters, hospitals and more. This initiative now operates in over 100 communities with 110 more requests to join and events taking place every six weeks. These events not only build confidence for guests by cutting hair, but foster dignity, community and connection, all of which is key to Hair Aid. The organisation provides over 15,000 free haircuts per year.
Hair Aid has been formalised as a registered charity and fully independent Public Benevolent Institution, officially recognised by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission as of 2013. The organisation also employs a Regional Coordinator for each state and territory, as well as a volunteer leadership that took over project management in 2022. This team helps Hair Aid continue to expand and reach new milestones.
For more information visit www.hairaid.org.au
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